"I have learned to bless the wave that crushes me against the Rock of Ages." -Charles Spurgeon

I'm just like them

“When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” – John 19:6

What a masterfully planned out series of events. God caused Pilate to find Jesus innocent. Then Pilate delivered Jesus to the crowd to do what they wanted with him. Just considering this verse, had Jesus been found “guilty” in court, there may have been an additional cause for my heart to blame the political system for Jesus’ death. As it is, the people are those who pursued Christ to death. How merciful it is of God to have planned it this way so that even in this passage my sin is emphasized. I am just like those people. I am just like the thief on the cross. I have a heart of evil and rebellion against Jesus, and the only reason that I will not be sent to hell for it is the fact that Christ looked upon me, like He looked upon the thief hanging beside him, and said “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”(Luke 23:43) Such mercy. Such love. Such cause for me to leave all and follow Him.

HOW LOVE WINS
“My life began like any other man
Held beneath a mother’s loving gaze
Somewhere between now and then
I lost the man I could have been
Took everything that wasn’t mine to take
But Love believes that it is not too late
Only one of us deserves this cross
A suffering that should belong to me
Deep within this man I hang beside
Is the place where shame and grace collide
And it’s beautiful agony
That He believes it’s not too late for me
This is how Love wins, every single time
Climbing high upon a tree where someone else should die
This is how Love heals, the deepest part of you
Letting Himself bleed into the middle of your wounds
This is what Love says, standing at the door
You don’t have to be who you’ve been before
Silenced by His voice, death can’t speak again
This is how Love wins
Did you see this moment from the start
That we would drink this of cup of suffering?
I wonder, did we ever meet?
Childhood games in dusty streets
For all my many sorrows and regrets
Nothing could compare to just this one
That in the presence of my King
I cannot fall upon my knees
I cannot carry You up to Your throne
You instead, will carry me back home.
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood, nothing but the blood
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood, Nothing but the blood
Because this is what Love say, standing at the door
You don’t have to be who you’ve been before
And silenced by His voice, death can’t speak again
This is how Love wins. ”
– Steven Curtis Chapman